Advice needed please!

D

defboat

Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
RO Number
9541
Messages
150
Would like advice on selling our small boat to our next door neighbor. Boat US appraised the MirrorCraft (no trailer) at $1094.00 last year. We purchased a new EZ Loader trailer for $600.00 two years ago. We have only used this boat once in the last 5 years. Our neighbor has used it for the last 4 years. He has maintained it and we have paid the insurance cost. Last year he did reimburse us for the registration fees. He's asked about buying it for the past three years. We need to sell this boat and would like any and all advice on how to negotiate with our neighbor. We spend time together on our other boat and would most likely always be able to use our small boat.

And...Should we go ahead and advertise it locally as he would probably see it and be offended or what?

Any and all suggestions and comments appreciated!
 
That would be pretty rude to advertise it without first asking him if he wants to buy it; for whatever price you decide it's worth. If it's worth 1,300 with the trailer - if it were mine, I'd subtract whatever he spent on maintenance and registration for the past four years ( or 4 times what I would have spent), and ask him if he wants to buy it for that amount - or probably just easier to offer him the package for $600, getting all your money back from the trailer purchase. If he says no, advertise it for $1300.
 
I wouldn't advertise it. Ask him for his best offer, then take it. Goodwill with your neighbor is worth far more than the likely several $100 you might get over his offer. Especially if you might be using the boat also.
 
I don't think you need to subtract what he spent on maintenance and reg, as he got use of the boat.
That said, I think asking him for an offer is the best way to go.
 
Let him make an offer. A thousand bucks is not much in this world anymore. It may be significant to you and your situation, but if you want to keep a good neighbor, and you wind up using it with them, I say let them have it but be reasonable on the offer. Let's face it, he has used it more than you so he should open up with a decent offer.
Easy does it.
 
Yes, he only pd for the registration once, not the insurance for all 4 yrs, but y'all are great, thank you for great advice!

We'll go with the BoatUS valuecheck and see what he offers, thank you!
 
Definitely have him make an offer. Keep in mind that he did the up keep on it for the past several years and he is your neighbor. If he comes within a couple hundred of what you hoped to get, I would do it. It's not a lot of money so no reason to rub someone the wrong way over it.

--Rick
 
The operative word is "neighbor." Give him the boat at no cost. Just say, "Have fun with it."

The gesture will cost you nothing and will enhance the good will of a fellow boater... a neighbor in your words.

Brushing aside those of you for whom money is everything, lots of us do things for other boaters and never ask for anything in return. Need some help with changing that exhaust manifold? You guys stuck? No problem, we'll tow you back home.

Maybe I'm different. I'm not rich by any means but boating means friends, good times, lasting relationships. It doesn't mean money.

Cheap old New Englander
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by chriscraft67

The operative word is "neighbor." Give him the boat at no cost. Just say, "Have fun with it."

The gesture will cost you nothing and will enhance the good will of a fellow boater... a neighbor in your words.

Brushing aside those of you for whom money is everything, lots of us do things for other boaters and never ask for anything in return. Need some help with changing that exhaust manifold? You guys stuck? No problem, we'll tow you back home.

Maybe I'm different. I'm not rich by any means but boating means friends, good times, lasting relationships. It doesn't mean money.

Cheap old New Englander
Bill

Click to expand...


Beat me to it.

+1.

Just a transfer of ownership is all that is necessary in VA. YMMV.
 
+ 1. I'm not rich either, but for the money it sounds like your talking about, you can't buy goodwill that cheaply. You've heard of pay it forward?... Just my $.02
 
Make him pay, you will both feel better for it. If someone were to give me the boat I'd feel guilty and go crazy and broke trying to make it up to him. Better to ask him for an offer and take it, that way both parties can feel good about it.
 
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